


this must be a (pipe) dream

by sataninacape



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, and angst hehe maybe, but forget the fact that they're freshman so we can pretend it's realistic, fluff :), josie 🤝 ignalusa, penelope is soft as fuccccc, underage marijuana consumption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 01:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18459080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sataninacape/pseuds/sataninacape
Summary: in which penelope park learns what it means to love josie saltzman





	this must be a (pipe) dream

**Author's Note:**

> an elaborate headcannon inspired by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esh8mNoPxGE and stoner!chrissie from twitter (@penxpark)
> 
> enjoy :)
> 
> (if you'd like to end on a soft note, please stop when you see ✋,, otherwise, carry on)

Saturday nights are for taking shots with friends or watching Netflix into the a.m. or sleeping for twelve hours straight or all of the above.

 

That is, unless you’re Salvatore Prep’s resident drug dealer. In which case, Saturday nights are for business.

 

Currently, business consists of selling sex-herbs-laced pot to horny werewolves in a deserted corner of the library.

 

Okay, not exactly selling. More so trading.

 

“One gram for one IOU,” Penelope explains, sliding the baggie to a pair of skeptical upperclassman.

 

“An IOU? Like, a favor?”

 

She nods, impatiently twirling her pencil around in her fingers because time is of the essence, and these mutts are taking up far too much of hers.

 

The boys exchange a look, wide eyes and sly grins.

 

“Like a _sexual_ favor?”

 

Penelope rolls her eyes and leans forward, lowering her voice. “Not that I have anything against sex workers, but that is _not_ at all what this is.” She slides two pieces of paper their way and gestures for them to sign. “Make sure to read the fine print.”

 

They stare at the paper and then back up at her and Penelope sighs because she really doesn’t have time for this. “Listen, if your doggy brains are that slow, then I suggest-”

 

“Penelope Park?”

 

The question is a cautious whisper, but more than enough for both boys to scribble half-assed signatures, shove the contracts her way, pocket the weed, and bolt towards the door.

 

Penelope sighs again and winces a little before folding the papers in half and slipping them into her textbook. She takes a deep breath to compose herself before looking up at the headmaster’s daughter.

 

 _Act casual_.

 

“Josie Saltzman. What can I do for you?”

 

Pouty lips are parted in an oval and Josie’s eyebrows are raised. She looks absolutely scandalized and Penelope bites down on her lip to keep a laugh from spilling over her lips.

 

“Did you just- were they-” Josie takes a breath. “Was that a drug deal?”

 

Penelope maintains a neutral expression, rests her chin on her palm.

 

“And what if it was? Gonna rat me out to your dad?”

 

Josie blinks. She does a 180 and checks for any witnesses before speaking.

 

“ _No_. No. I was actually, um, hoping to buy some from you.”

 

Penelope can’t hold back her giggle this time because there’s no way Good Girl Josie Saltzman is actually looking to get stoned. This must be a dream.

 

“Buy _some_ what? Listen, JoJo, I’m sure you already heard me tell the boys this, but I am not a sex worker, so if you’re looking for-”

 

“ _Penelope_ ,” Josie is fifty shades of pink and panicked. “You know what I mean.”

 

“I don’t actually. Care to elaborate?”

 

Josie side eyes her and continues with a huff. “Marijuana. I want you to… you know, hook me up with some marijuana.”

 

Another laugh escapes her lips because Josie Saltzman is too pure for this world.

 

“You want me to _hook you up with some marijuana_?”

 

The other girl hisses for her to lower her voice, but nods nonetheless.

 

Penelope pauses. “Is this some kind of undercover cop stunt? Are you going to ask me to snort some coke with you next?”

 

Josie purses her lips. She opens her mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. “You know what? Just forget I asked.”

 

When Josie turns to leave, Penelope frowns and her voice immediately betrays her suave demeanor. “Hey, wait.”

 

Josie’s ponytail bobs when she pauses.

 

“Do you really want to get high?” Another bob. “Okay, pull up a chair.”

 

Penelope gestures across the table and watches as Josie’s shoulder relax, arms uncross. They sit face-to-face and Penelope pulls a pamphlet out of her folder.

 

She hesitates because maybe this isn’t a good idea, but Josie flashes her these impossible puppy eyes and bats her lashes twice and Penelope caves.

 

“So, there’s edibles, and then there’s blunts.”

 

Josie nods attentively when Penelope points out the different strains and she can just imagine the other girl mentally taking notes, all fancy cursive and exclamation points for emphasis. Penelope smiles a little at the thought and continues explaining all of her options.

 

She pauses to give Josie a minute to think. When Josie speaks up, it’s not what Penelope expected her to say.

 

“What was your first high?”

 

“Sorry?”

 

Josie repeats her question and Penelope blinks. She doesn’t remember the last time any of her clients felt the need to get personal, but Josie is looking at her with big brown eyes that scream _corrupt my innocent_ , and Penelope can’t help but comply. She places her magic sex weed on the table and watches Josie’s cheeks turn red.

 

“I’m serious, Penelope.”

 

Penelope tilts her head. “So am I, JoJo.”

 

She’s not really, but Josie’s reaction is everything she was hoping for.

 

“Oh. _Oh_. God, please get that image out of my head.”

 

Penelope wiggles her brows. “Is this your way of suggesting we turn your fantasy into a reality?”

 

Josie’s cheeks tint again and she averts her eyes. “Please, Penelope, not every person in a five mile radius wants to get with you.”

 

“You’re right.” A pause. “It’s more like a ten mile radius.”

 

Josie blushes some more and Penelope would cackle, but she settles for a wink.

 

“Can you just focus?”

 

Penelope frowns. “On what?”

 

“Your job.”

 

 _Huh_. Right. Who knew the headmaster’s daughter could be so distracting.

 

Penelope reverts back to the task at hand and when the other girl finally picks her poison, Penelope slides her a contract and Josie frowns.

 

“How come this is so elaborate? Why can’t I just pay you?”

 

She rolls her eyes. “What’s the fun in that? Every kid at this school is loaded, JoJo. Besides, I already have plenty of money, so why not sell pot for social capital instead? Do you have any idea how many people I have dirt on? How many people owe me favors?”

 

“A lot?”

 

“A lot.”

 

Josie’s eyes are shining and Penelope’s heart skips a beat at her stare.

 

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re kind of an evil genius?”

 

Only all the time, but there’s something different hearing it come from Josie Saltzman. Something that makes Penelope’s breath catch.

 

“You might just be the first.”

 

* * *

 

Twenty minutes later and Josie has somehow convinced Penelope to teach her how to roll a joint and stick around until the high creeps in.

 

“Like this?”

 

Penelope shakes her head, shuffling towards Josie to demonstrate. They’re sitting on the floor of the school greenhouse, in Penelope’s safe haven, and she still isn’t too sure how they ended up here.

 

Josie mentioned wanting to get away for a few hours, leave campus maybe, and Penelope found herself offering up the greenhouse. But only because Dr. Saltzman would totally kill her if he found his daughter stoned in some diner in Mystic Falls. Not at all because a part of Penelope actually wants to spend her Saturday night watching the doe-eyed girl smoke pot for the first time.

 

“Shoot,” Penelope empties her backpack. “I forgot my lighter.”

 

The brunette raises an eyebrow. “You know we’re witches, right?”

 

She whispers a spell, _Ignalusa_ , and the blunt catches fire. Her lips slip into a soft smile and she’s so obviously pleased with herself, Penelope can’t help but smile back.

 

Josie tilts her chin up, rests her head against the wall, and the setting sun filters through the glass just right because Josie’s skin is glowing and her eyes are closed and _fuck_.

 

Maybe Josie Saltzman is kind of hot.

 

Like, in a sexy teddy bear kind of way.

 

Penelope clears her throat and she scrambles for a response because the sight of Josie holding a blunt has somehow knocked the extensive vocabulary from her brain.

 

“Cool.”

 

Josie opens her eyes, and Penelope can practically feel the nerves radiating from her.

 

“So, what now? How do I do this? Should I just, like, suck?”

 

Penelope refrains from a “ _that’s what s/he / they said_ ” joke and holds her hand out instead.

 

“Relax, Jo. Do you want me to show you?”

 

Josie’s curls bounce up and down and Penelope brings the blunt to her lips to demonstrate. She inhales, holds, and exhales. Josie watches her the whole time, all wide-eyed, parted lips.

 

Penelope’s heart flinches and her cheeks burn and it’s really only because of the weed and not even slightly because Josie’s knee is pressed against hers, hot skin sending chills down her spine. When Penelope passes the joint back to Josie, their hands brush and her cheeks tint even deeper red.

 

Josie mimics her actions, and Penelope grins because a thought occurs to her.

 

“You know, we’ve practically kissed now that we’ve shared a blunt.”

 

Smoke curls out of Josie’s pink lips and she doesn’t even cough and Penelope blanches.

 

Maybe Josie Saltzman is more than teddy-bear-hot.

 

“Pretty sure it doesn’t work like that, Penny.”

 

Penelope’s heart sings because _Penny_.

 

Josie catches her staring and Penelope doesn’t bother looking away.

 

Because maybe Josie Saltzman is _Ignalusa_ -ing her insides and maybe Penelope Park doesn’t mind just one bit.

 

* * *

 

It’s not long before Josie is high as a kite and Penelope is watching her fly.

 

Currently, Josie’s tripping over her words, and Penelope is silently absorbing the flustered girl’s tangents.

 

“I care too much, you know? It’s kind of a problem. And with Lizzie and my parents, I just _love_ them so much. Like, _so_ much. But sometimes, I just- I feel-”

 

Penelope’s knee slips and her skin brushes against Josie’s and the other girl stops herself short.

 

“Sorry,” Penelope stretches her legs out, crossing her ankles, and flattening her skirt out. She’s not really sorry because it wasn’t really an accident but Josie’s eyes are exclamation points and Penelope feels compelled to apologize anyway. “What were you saying?”

 

Josie shakes her head and scoots away. Not much, but enough to make Penelope’s stomach drop.

 

“Um, nothing. Sorry, I didn’t realize I was rambling. You can leave if you want. I’m sure you have more important things to do with your time.”

 

Penelope hesitates because, honestly, she does have more important matters to attend to. She could be pulling in customers or binge-watching t.v. shows or even getting ahead on homework assignments.

 

But for some reason, there’s no place she’d rather be than right here, right now, surrounded by plants and shoulder-to-shoulder with Josie Saltzman.

 

She tells Josie this, scoots over a little so they’re touching again, and Josie’s cheeks flush.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Penelope nods. “Yeah. And I’m cashing in one of my favors so you can do yourself a favor and be more honest about how you feel. Ramble all you want, JoJo. I’m not going anywhere.”

 

Josie meets her gaze and Penelope swears her eyes flicker down to her lips, but the marijuana must finally be getting to her too.

 

“ _One_ of them?”

 

Penelope bumps their shoulders playfully. “You thought I play therapist for free? That’s cute, Jo.”

 

Josie huffs, but she’s smiling anyway. And then she opens her mouth and picks up were she left off.

 

“I just feel like they don’t see me sometimes.”

 

Her voice is far away when she continues, and Penelope is keeping up with every sentence she says, honestly, but Josie’s first few words are still stuck in her head.

 

 _They don’t see me sometimes_.

 

Penelope’s chest tugs a little because maybe she’s guilty of this too. Of not noticing Josie Saltzman.

 

After all, Penelope’s been enrolled in this school for three years now and this is the first time she’s bothered to spend more than five minutes with the girl. It’s not that Penelope has deliberately been ignoring her, but Josie just has this knack for existing in her sister’s shadow. For sinking into the background.

 

Tonight might actually be the first time Penelope has seen Josie apart from her twin, under the light, in the forefront.

 

Penelope sees her Bambi eyes, her rose lips and hears her soft sighs, her clever quips.

 

Penelope sees beyond her good girl persona, beyond her carefully-curated innocence.

 

Penelope sees a girl with secrets and sins, and now that she’s scratched the surface of the ocean that is Josie Saltzman, she so desperately wants to go deep-diving, skinny-dipping, midnight-swimming.

 

She wants to get to know Josie, and if that starts with listening to her talk nonstop for two straight hours, then Penelope Park is all ears.

 

* * *

 

“Those leaves are, like, _perfectly_ shaped.”

 

Josie is pointing at a plant to their left, but Penelope doesn’t bother looking over. She’s too caught up in the way Josie’s pupils are dilated, the way her choppy hair drapes over her collarbones.

 

She looks so at peace, Penelope’s heart stammers because she feels like she’s somehow intruding.

 

And then Josie’s extended hand finds Penelope’s face and her heart stammers some more.

 

“God, Penny, so are your cheekbones. They’re the perfect angle. And your eyebrows. Wow. You’re _so_ pretty.”

 

Penelope loses her voice when Josie’s finger trail her skin, and her palm cups Penelope’s cheek.

 

Josie’s breath is hot on her face when she speaks. “You know what you said earlier?”

 

Penelope draws a blank because, frankly, she can’t even remember her last name right now. Not with the way Josie’s touch is burning her cheek. Josie continues when Penelope doesn’t respond.

 

“About going after what I want?”

 

Right, Penelope vaguely mentions telling her that. “Yeah?”

 

Josie hums. “You know what I want right now?” She doesn’t wait for Penelope to reply. “I think I want to kiss you.”

 

Penelope blinks twice and her hand creeps up to cover Josie’s, and she leans into her touch, because _fuck_ she really wants to kiss her too.

 

But Josie’s high and so is Penelope and it wouldn’t be right to do this just yet.

 

“I want to kiss you too,” Penelope tells her. “But we shouldn’t.”

 

Josie’s hand slips and her face drops.

 

“Oh.”

 

Penelope continues, laces their fingers. “Maybe another time. When we’re sober.”

 

The disappointment in her eyes is replaced with humor and Josie quirks an eyebrow. “Bold of you to assume there’ll be more opportunities, Park.”

 

Penelope mirrors her smile because she’s not assuming. She’s hoping.

 

And it’s a little scary, honestly, because Penelope has never hoped before.

 

Never cared to get to actually know someone, fall in love with them the right way.

 

But Josie Saltzman deserves a love that’s sober and gentle and Penelope Park thinks she’d like to be that for her.

 

Josie’s hand squeezes her own and Penelope lets out a sigh.

 

“Sure, JoJo. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

 

Neither of them sleep that night.

 

They stay up late, splitting snacks and counting clouds.

 

They take turns telling each other things they’ve never said out loud before.

 

They fall in love under the moonlight, staring up at the stars, and Penelope thinks that maybe, just maybe, Saturday nights can be for more than business.

 

* * *

 

After lunch the next day, Penelope finds Josie in the library, nose in a book.

 

“Catch up with you guys later,” Penelope tells her friends. They exchange curious glances, but she gestures for them to shoo and they comply immediately.

 

Penelope walks to Josie’s table and her palms are suddenly sweaty, heart tripping.

 

 _Fuck_. She’s nervous. Why is she nervous? It’s just Josie Saltzman.

 

Josie looks up from her book and Penelope’s breath catches because okay, maybe there’s no such thing as _just_ Josie Saltzman.

 

“Hey, JoJo.”

 

She marks her place in her book before setting it aside. “Penelope. Here to cash in your favor, already?”

 

Penelope shakes her head, sliding into the chair opposite Josie. “Even better. Here to make good on _my_ IOU.”

 

Josie’s eyebrows scrunch. “What are you talking about?”

 

“You know,” Penelope dons her equal-opportune, evil temptress voice. All breathy and over-confident. “I promised you a sober kiss last night. And I’m not one for empty promises.”

 

If Josie’s flustered, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she leans a little closer and matches Penelope’s tone.

 

“Bold of you to assume that wasn’t just the marijuana talking.”

 

Penelope blinks because _fuck_. _Was_ it just the weed? Did Penelope somehow read too much into it? Is Josie not into her? Is Josie even into girls?

 

She opens her mouth to backtrack, but Josie must pick up on the doubt in her eyes because she immediately amends herself. “I was kidding, Penny. It definitely wasn’t just the marijuana talking.”

 

“Yeah?” Penelope relaxes and she raises an eyebrow. “So prove it.”

 

Josie blushes, eyes darting down. “Penelope, we’re in the library. There’s people here.”

 

“Great. Let them see.”

 

She zeros in on Josie’s pink lips, but the other girl rolls her eyes. “Not happening, Park.”

 

Then she stands and Penelope frowns. “Hey-”

 

Josie holds up her book. “I’m going to go re-shelf this over there, in the deserted row towards the back. Where there are no witnesses, whatsoever.”

 

“Oh. _Oh_.”

 

Penelope watches Josie strut off, all perky and pleased. She counts a minute before following.

 

Josie is waiting for her, arms crossed. “So, are you gonna kiss me or not?”

 

A laugh escapes her lips because who knew Josie Saltzman was so bossy.

 

Penelope’s hands circle Josie’s waist and their foreheads bump, lips brush.

 

Their first kiss is a little awkward, a little clumsy. But it’s fine because they have plenty of time to work on it.

 

Plenty of time to make out in the back of the library, in the corner of the greenhouse, in the middle of the hallway.

 

Plenty of time to get to know each other.

 

Plenty of time to fall in love the right way.

 

✋

* * *

 

In the beginning, loving Josie means listening closely and kissing slowly and being the big spoon sometimes.

 

It means painting her nails and giggling at her jokes and knowing just what to say next.

 

It means showing Josie that she’s worthy of attention, worthy of love.

 

Towards the middle, the end of freshman year, loving Josie means cancelled plans and broken promises and half-dates.

 

It means realizing her priorities lie in her sister.

 

It means breaking her heart to give her the incentive to fight for herself for once.

 

Then, in sophomore year, loving Josie means lingering in her peripherals and losing sleep reading up on The Merge and hating Lizzie for not knowing just how capable she is of destroying her own twin.

 

It means hearing _I hate you_ and still saying _I love you_.

 

It means hoping on a plane to Belgium to look for a cure, to keep the love of her life alive.

 

It means knowing when to let go.

 

It means knowing when to come back.

 

* * *

 

So maybe loving Josie Saltzman is the hardest thing Penelope Park has ever done.

 

But maybe loving Josie Saltzman is also the easiest thing Penelope Park has ever done.

 

And maybe that’s what love is.

 

The push and the pull.

 

The calm and the storm.

 

The selfless and the selfish.

**Author's Note:**

> :)))


End file.
